Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Gandin Le.
Hi Jennifer, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve been editing for over 20 years, but even longer than that, I’ve loved words, stories, and the magic of bringing people together to create something meaningful.
My story begins in a Houston public school library, checking out and reading the thickest book I could find (“Little Women” was my favorite). It begins on the wooden floorboards of Alief Elsik High School; sitting in a circle with my castmates as we carefully sliced classic works into one-act plays for UIL competition, debating the meaning of each scene, line, and beat until we agreed on which to cut.
It begins in a black box theater at Playwrights Horizons Theater School in New York City and in a linguistics lecture in Lancaster, England. It begins at a sound stage in Napa, CA, where my three best friends and I worked together to adapt a short story into a screenplay for Francis Ford Coppola.
But my story also begins every time I sit down with an artist to roam the landscape of their burgeoning ideas and every time I begin editing a writer’s manuscript. With beginner’s mind active, together, we write a new story.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
At the end of my freshman year at NYU, my directing teacher handed out a copy of Adrienne Rich’s poem “Final Notations.” (https://genius.com/3120802)
Her words describe every worthwhile endeavor I have ever undertaken—from writing my own work to editing others’, from running my own business to parenting my children, from long-term friendships to a marriage of 17 years and counting—”it will be short, it will take all your breath / it will not be simple, it will become your will” is exactly right.
Like any creative path, there have been false starts and hiccups, and there have been rollercoaster times when the car just keeps picking up speed. I’ve learned that it’s important to take excellent notes, keep returning to the page, develop flexibility, and be willing to learn new skills all the time. I’m a better editor and coach because I faithfully follow my interests, which include cosplay, herbal medicine, cultivating a permaculture food forest, and no-shame karaoke.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I help people write books and book proposals. More specifically, I love working with creative people who need an editor and coach to bolster their confidence, focus their ideas, and help them get words on the page.
Whether someone has a flickering idea or a full manuscript, I’m passionate about helping people convey the heart of their message into potent written language that connects with their readers. I love what I do, and I bring my whole self to the work, so I only take on clients with whom I can go all in.
Sending fresh writing to an editor is hugely vulnerable, so I take my job as an early reader very seriously. I’m known for my enthusiastic and compassionate notes—I love cheering my writers on in the margins of their manuscripts! They also trust me to offer clear and attentive edits for the places that need tuning. I treat my clients’ words with sacred curiosity that naturally elicits their best writing.
I’m proud of my work with Ana Catalina Reynoso De La Garza. In our time together, she completed the novel she’d been writing for two decades, which then went on to win first place in the 2020 Latino Book into Movie Awards dramatic category.
I’m proud of another client whose manuscript was accepted for publication with only minor changes from the work we did together.
Sometimes I’m proud of the work that clients decide NOT to do. After exploring her book idea during our time together, one client realized that she did not want to write a book just then. Our time together gave her the insight and courage to release the idea, freeing up her energy for the business development she decided to do instead.
And I’m proud of my work with every client who dedicates their time to an idea that’s been knocking around for years and ends up crafting a potent story that’s ready to find its audience.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My 80s childhood was filled with imaginative play: creating elaborate death scenes for our Barbies with my sister, dressing up like my favorite characters, pretending to be a mermaid at the neighborhood pool in the summer. I especially loved the dark fantasy movies that filled that decade—The Last Unicorn, The Secret of N.I.M.H., The NeverEnding Story, The Dark Crystal. I also spent much of my time in church, as my dad is a (now retired) Methodist minister. You’ll find a kaleidoscope of all these influences in my work and worldview today.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.jennifergandin.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifergandinle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferGandinLe.Writer/
- Other: hello@jennifergandin.com
Image Credits
Christopher Gandin Le
Jennifer Gandin Le
